While Araiza had decent success in landing punts inside the 20 this season, he needs to demonstrate consistency in this regard. "He was like, 'You're outkicking your coverage. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. If he passes those criteria while youre working him out and he hits the Duke well, able to turn the ball over, then yes, you check off the boxes., Once a special teams coach feels comfortable with Araizas ability, the coach may want to suggest the rest of the front office look into acquiring him in the draft. The San Diego, California native has a career kicking percentage of over 73% as the Aztecs kicker. Even then, the potential power lingering in his left leg remained lowkey. . Current. San Diego State wasnt prepared for this 10-man rush of the punter, but that didnt matter to Araiza. He also set school records in the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles during his high school career. Track the most effective teams on first down in the league, and youll notice they just so happen to be the most effective defenses. Araiza seems like he's going to be a good fit in Buffalo. Araiza, who began his career at San Diego State as a kicker, also converted 96 of 97 extra point attempts and 50 of 68 field goal attempts (73.5 percent), with a long of 54. Meanwhile, he averaged 41.7 yards on 120 punts that tallied over 5,000 yards. Matt Araiza Position: PunterHeight: 61Weight: 200 lbsAge: 21College: San Diego State Aztecs. Matt Araiza. As a result, theres an ever-growing feeling that his floor in the 2022 NFL Draft will be the fifth round. Simply put, Araiza is the best punting prospect to enter the NFL Draft in quite some time. But the San Diego State punter, nicknamed "Punt God" by Twitter and anyone that has seen his 80-yard moonshots for three seasons with the Aztecs, has declared for the 2022 NFL Draft. Team Contract Type Status Year Signed Yrs Total APY Guarantees Stroud: I dont want to go to the Bears; thats Fields team, OPINION: Cocaine Bear is stupid, but in a really good way. This wasnt just a one-off occurrence either. It's probable that he would have hit a fourth for 55 yards . In the first of these predictions pieces, Matt Araiza leads a cast of at least three punters selected in the 2022 NFL Draft. Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux will feature as top picks later this month. The Ray Guy Award bears his name. The following is a complete Matt Araiza NFL Draft profile, including stats, highlights and a mock projection. Matt Araiza had two punts of more than 80 yards last season, including an 86-yarder that was the longest punt in college football. And no, thats not the type of gimmicky love youll see bestowed on some other athletes in minor roles. This begs the question: how well will Matt Araiza transition to the NFL? Punter prospects are rare, multiple in the same class are even more so. Achieving a historic 12-win season and earning a spot in the final College Football Playoff Top 25 Rankings brought many advantages for the San Diego State Aztecs. I hope he is back in the NFL soon., Asked about the decision not to contact Gilleon, Bills GM Brandon Beane said in a press conference that Kathryn DAngelo, the teams attorney, heard what he had to say and thats when we began our process., Were not perfect. They call him Punt God. We explored a massive trade-down scenario in a recent seven-round mock draft. It's not often the best player on a team is the punter, but that was the case for the Aztecs last season. Clouding Strongs status is a knee injury that he picked up playing basketball as a kid, one that saw him miss his senior year of high school football. You cant even tell that traveling more than 60 yards through the air is a difficult task for a punter by how easy Araiza makes it look. School: San Diego State. 2023 NFL Draft Top 25 Big Board: Young No. Despite Araiza's incredible 2021 season, he is not expected to be among the highest-drafted punters of all time. 147, a high fifth-round pick. The big-legged San Diego native is considered one of the best prospects at his position in years and many are eager to see where he lands. His season average of 51.19 yards set a new single-season record. The biggest surprise is that college football's top punter, Matt Araiza, wasn't the first punter off the board this year. Matt Araiza is San Diego State's record-setting punter. Entry: 2022 Draft, Round 6, #180 overall (Bills) Contract History. Despite those struggles. If youre sitting comfortably, lets begin. In our heart of hearts, I can lay my head down at night knowing that Ive tried to do whats right., The best insights from the ultimate insiders, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, accused of being involved in the gang rape of a 17-year-old, the Bills also ignored his warnings about Araiza, Josh Allen and girlfriend Brittany Williams kiss during offseason getaway, Bills GM provides Damar Hamlin update regarding potential comeback, Bills coordinator abruptly leaves team during critical time, The favorite to win NFLs Comeback Player of the Year may surprise you, Giants QB carted off after big hit by Jets lineman, Daniel Jones needs to see big picture in Giants negotiations, Red-hot Jon Rahm no match for wind-swept Bay Hill: 'F--king hard', The Marchand and Ourand Sports Media Podcast, The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman, Amazin' But True: A NY Mets Baseball Podcast, Gangs All Here: A NY Jets Football Podcast, Tom Sandoval breaks silence on Ariana Madix split amid cheating claims, Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave. Before we get into the sexier traits of punter scouting if such a thing exists I want to get into San Diego States punt formation being a benefit for Araiza. He is a big-armed, big-bodied quarterback who plays in the classic, dropback, Carson Palmer style. NFL punter Matt Araiza and two San Diego State football players accused in gang-rape lawsuit. The Bills may not have knownaboutthe allegations hanging over punter Matt Araiza when they drafted him, but at least two other teams had an inkling that something had happened. The draft is sharpening into focus. Araiza leads the punter predictions for this 2022 NFL Draft. So that builds his value to your team especially if you have an older kicker who now you can take the kickoff duty from.. The temptation to declare it the greatest punting class of all time is understandable. This is the most yards per punt a player has ever averaged in a single NCAA season, illustrating his sheer dominance. The biggest surprise is that college football's top punter, Matt Araiza, wasn't the first punter off the board this year. Here are the San Diego State Aztecs headed for the 2022 NFL Draft, from Cameron Thomas to Matt Araiza. He quickly became a nationally known name after delivering a 82-yard punt in the preseason. At the very least, remember the name Matt Araiza and the punt god designation following him. The San Diego State redshirt junior did so by setting an NCAA record with 36 punts of . Drawing attention across the media landscape driven by the king of punters himself, Pat McAfee Araiza has broken records with his ridiculously powerful left leg. The Sporting News breaks down everything you need to know about Araiza's record-breaking season in 2021, and the elite group of punters he hopes to join who managed to leverage their collegiate career into high draft picks: Despite Araiza's incredible 2021 season, he is not expected to be among the highest-drafted punters of all time. Daniel Faalele after Minnesotas win over Colorado in September. Theres simply no escaping it. The left-legged punter can effortlessly boom the ball the entire length of the field. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. and that Bill Belichick is already salivating over using a second-round pick on him in the 2022 NFL Draft. Now time for my prediction: I believe Matt Araiza will be selected in the later portion of Round 4, or in Round 5 of the 2022 NFL Draft. One of the most exciting prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft is San Diego State University's Matt Araiza. As a junior, Araiza would be eligible for the NFL Draft in both 2022 and 2023. Based on net punting averages, you can usually find UDFAs who will rank above average at the position in directional punting and hang time.. He also has the ability to make tackles, with speed and athleticism. The coach offered Faalele a scholarship on the spot. Dallas Intends to Tag Pollard, Head of Pro Scouting, NFL Player Personnel Executive, One of the most exciting prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft is San Diego State Universitys Matt Araiza. Araiza sits neatly at the intersection of crusty old Football Guys and the new wave of analytically inclined general managers. As mentioned before, Araiza is incredibly versatile and can help the special teams unit in an impactful way. During his first two seasons with the Aztecs, he hit long field goals of 48 yards (Wyoming 19, Colorado 20). On his list of the top 150 prospects on NFL.com, Daniel Jeremiah listed Araiza at No. They ignored us, [when] I warned them [what] would happen could be avoided if they just kept their heads in the sand. Furthermore, its reported that Araiza routinely makes kicks from 50+ in practice. As the 2022 NFL Draft nears, it's time to put our money where our mouth is and start making some predictions about the class. To put that in perspective, there were only six punts of 70 or more yards by every NFL punter combined last season. (Photo by Joshua Bessex/Getty Images) Araiza must ensure that his strides and ball striking remain consistent from kick to kick. He is exceptional on fourth down, averaging 51.2 yards per punt in his most recent season. MattAraiza. Of course he was. His 32 vertical jump was the same as Chris Olave, our 15th-highest-ranked prospect. As a FG kicker, his completion percentage has declined with every college season. San Diego State's Matt Araiza, meanwhile, might have the strongest leg in the draft. Consistency, then Penn State punter Jordan Stout should be called Mr. Now for the burning question: where will Araiza be drafted in April? 154) - 1 - Cincinnati Bengals (No. The reigning Ray Guy Award winner as the nation's top punter, Araiza set an FBS record with a 51.19-yard . The number of seasons for each punter includes every season where at least half of a season was played. Yet, in San Diego State punter Matt Araiza, the 2022 NFL Draft class might possess the most high-profile and highly skilled punter prospect in recent history. Matt Araiza came into the 2022 NFL Draft as a fan favorite. Look how Hawaii prepped for Matt Araiza. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. This season, Araiza has set records and social media alight with his left leg cannon. Mock drafts will dance around the internet for the next two months they've already started and in a cozy 5th-Round spot nestled will be the name Matt Araiza because every team should want a glimpse of the field-position machete.. And if Araiza's draft stock remains at the 5th Round or lower . Nicknamed "Punt God," the San Diego State product became well known for booming punts 80 yards and averaging an NCAA-record 51.19 yards . It also helps that Araiza is a quality kickoff specialist, as he has finished in the top-5 in the FBS in average distance on kickoffs in 2020, and his touchback percentage of 84.9 percent was the fourth-most in the nation in 2021. In 35 games across three years at San Diego State, he punted 84 times for 4,293 yards a 51.1 yards-per-punt rate. The roster has been set for awhile in the defensive trenches. This season Araiza hasnt had a single kick punt or field goal blocked. Not only has he shown his prowess as a punter, but Coach Maalouf adds he kicked off as well and was good at it. Our written profile to add to our NIL Apparel and Podcast Interview of College Football's #1 Punter #sdsu #NFLDraft. T Formation Conversation: Live from the NFL Combine. I didnt know what a first down was or anything, Faalele told ESPN in 2018. They are going to have to choose between cutting their sixth round draft pick who recently won the starting punter job, or getting harassed by the fans for not cutting him. Special teamers are usually able to be secured as an undrafted free agent or in Round 7, but an elite punting prospect like Araiza who can flip field position at an incredible rate is worth that investment. Punter. Specialists don't often get drafted, but with Araiza being able to flip the field so easily (he has had punts go over 80 yards), an NFL team will likely draft him earlier than fans expect. That isnt the case for Araiza, whose naturally quick delivery makes it easy for him to get the ball out and seriously flip field position for his team. Araiza was selected by the Bills in the sixth round (180th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft. He also set the FBS mark for 50-yard punts with his 33rd of the season. But that style is outdated in the modern NFL, where the last remaining stick-slide-climb thrower is the ever-ageless Tom Brady. Positives: Strong-legged punter whos also an exceptional directional kicker. General manager Tom Telesco spoke to the media on Thursday and was asked about Araiza in the draft. He wound up landing at Minnesota, using the Madden video game series to swot up on the rules and regulations. He kicks returners back a considerable amount that the potential for big returns is still limited. Could Matt Araiza be the next one? The 2022 NFL draft is a little over two weeks away. Past. Although the 40-yard-dash may not be a direct indicator of a players game speed, the fact that Araiza ran a 4.68 is notable in its own right. No punter has been selected in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft since 1995. But how have other drafted punters panned out in the NFL? NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Above is a plot of the average Approximate Value (AV) of a punter per season who has been drafted in the last 15 seasons. In 2021, Araiza has emerged as something of a rockstar in the punting community. His footprints adorn the record books at the position. Where most people have legs attached to their torso, Araiza has an actual cannon. Whoever drafts him could be ending up with a perennial All-Pro talent. Punter Bryan Anger famously went five picks before Russell Wilson in 2012 with the 70th overall pick. Meanwhile, Araiza saw some sophomore struggles, completing only 71% of his field goals and missing an extra point for the first time in his career. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Although on-field punter drills werent televised, onlookers inside Lucas Oil Stadium reported that Araiza was impressive during those sessions at the NFL Combine. We've received your submission. His ceiling could be much higher. Does a terrific job selling fake punts. Zac Al-Khateeb is a content producer for The Sporting News. Gambling problem? Jimmypinthe416 says: August 28, 2022 at 11:39 am Was belichik lying when he drafted Hernandez. 31, the Cincinnati Bengals sit in one of the most interesting spots of any team in the 2022 NFL draft. WCGs Lead Draft Analyst shares brief anecdotes on each of his top performers from Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Combine. Araizas leg power is also demonstrated as a field goal and kickoff specialist. Surely theres some NFL team that takes him earlier than you would expect. That said, it wouldnt be surprising at all if somebody took him as early as Round 3. A versatile punter who can flip field position and force the opposition to account for him while nailing game-winning field goals with regularity is hard to find. Those two picks were also somewhat surprising, if only because you almost never see two punters get taken that early With Stout going at 130th overall and Camarda going three picks later, this year marked just the third time since 1993 that two punters were taken before the end of the fourth round. Four punters were chosen in the 2016 NFL Draft. The. With Camarda now in Tampa, that likely spells the end of Bradley Pinion's three-year run with the team. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Punter prospects in the NFL Draft are more commonplace than youd presume. #Bills #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/EA1iEWkdyA. Not too shabby. Mock Draft Database Sites; NFL NBA NHL MLB. The victims lawyer, Dan Gilleon, said the Bills also ignored his warnings about Araiza in late July. The San Diego State punter has a career-long 53-yard field goal to his name. These primarily center around consistency. The 2022 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, with the first round kicking off on Thursday, April 28th. Do you mind if I try playing football?. But there are tantalising stories further down the board. I would rather draft depth at other positions, such as defensive back and linebacker, where the players can develop while contributing on special teams.. Kenny Pickett College Football Highlights 2021, Aaron Rodgers is Using Leverage to Help Davante Adams, DEBUT Tom Brady, Joe Burrow and Josh Allen! The Bills may not have known about the allegations hanging over punter Matt Araiza when they . 1. player. Vendetta Sports Media is sponsored by Monkey Knife Fight, the fastest growing DFS site in the industry. Multiple punters selected in the draft are also not as rare as youd think. These arent just courtesy of a lucky bounce either these punts are traveling through the air. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. As a San Diego native, there was naturally just one choice. The 2022 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, with the first round kicking off on Thursday, April 28th. The only other times it happened came in 1993 and 2007. "The coach I had for my first eight years in New Orleans, if I hit a punt over 55 yards, he was mad," Morstead said. However, he set a new single-season program record for field goals with 22. Matt Araiza #19 of the Buffalo Bills takes the field during practice on Aug. 5, 2022, in Orchard Park, New York. Araiza has as many 80-yard punts in just this season as the NFL has produced since 2013. The truth of the matter, however, is that Araiza is just the tip of the iceberg of a talented punting class. Additionally, few of these punters have been widely recognized as the best at their position, even for one season. Araiza has made three 50-yard field goals so far this season, the second most in NCAA football. My names David Ojabo. The punt went for a touchback, but when you still factor the flipping from San Diego States 21-yard line to Hawaiis 20-yard line, thats still a 59-yard flip with the touchback. He created a draft buzz. That said, Matt Araiza is a generational talent at punter. An immobile quarterback with a sketchy knee will be a no-no for most teams, and depending on how concerned teams are about the injury he could slip all the way to day three of the draft. Brewer. If Im punting five to seven times per game and the disparity in average yards is just a few, this doesnt translate to that significant of a difference overall. Im tougher, stronger, more athletic than Odafe Oweh. Araiza, who was released by the Bills on Saturday, was accused of being involved in the gang rape of a 17-year-old, with details coming to light after a lawsuit was filed in San Diego County Superior Court accusing Araiza and two of his teammates at San Diego State. With his cannon for a leg, positional versatility, and publicity few punters have ever attracted, Araiza has the potential to be selected significantly higher than most punters have in recent NFL Draft classes. More important than the distance is Araizas unusual control of the ball, allowing him to pin opposing offenses deep in their own half rather than just booming the ball out the back of the endzone. Matt Araiza Overview. Updated. Through the first 180 picks, there were more punters selected (3) than were taken in the entire 2021 draft combined (The Steelers selection of Pressley Harvin was the only punter pick last year). Punting out of the end zone can be tough for some punters, as there isnt much margin for error if pressure gets into the backfield, and there is more of a condensed space to operation out of. He followed that up with a Thanos-like performance at the scouting combine: the 341 lb Davis ran the 40-yard dash in 4.78 seconds, the fastest for any player over 330 lb at the combine since 2006; Davis later had a standing broad jump of 10ft 3in, the record for a player over 300 pounds; he tacked on a 34in vertical leap for good measure, a doubletake-worthy figure for someone of his size. Hutchinson was an effort player; Ojabo the beat-them-out-of-their-cleats, vintage, get-off-and-go rusher. Following a flourish of free agency action, theres a clearer picture of NFL team needs. against San Jose State in October. Analysis: Araiza took a step to the forefront last season and was a rockstar punter for the Aztecs. Yes, thats right Araiza truly flipped the field for the Aztecs, changing the line-of-scrimmage from their own 11-yard-line to the 3-yard-line of the Spartans. When and how often will Davis play? Araiza in 2021 booted 79 punts for 4,044 yards for an NCAA-record 51.18 yards per punt. They'll give up some big returns, but they'll also have some giant flips of field position.". He only makes two steps upon catching the ball, as opposed to a running start that some college punters use. Although Araizas leg strength is the crown jewel of his scouting report, there are times when hell need to take a little off his punts to achieve success at the next level. There have only been two draft classes since the turn of the century where a punter hasnt been selected in the NFL Draft. The likes of Mitch Wishnowsky and Max Duffy from recent draft classes utilized this style of punting before entering the NFL. No punter has been selected in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft since 1995. Araiza served as SDSU's placekicker while he was in college, so he's never had to hold. Stroud doesnt want to go to the Bears because Justin Fields, OPINION: Cocaine Bear is stupid, but in a really good way When the idea of, CONTENT 2018 2022 VENDETTA SPORTS MEDIA ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions, Why Mitchell Trubisky Is Destined To Fail In The NFL, Barstool Sports Employee Jordyn Woodruff Joins OnlyFans, Sean Allen Sucks At Fantasy Hockey: 2022 Edition, Predicting Four 2023 Middle Linebacker Free Agent Destinations, Von Miller Eyeing GM Career Post Retirement, C.J. Cut (s): Eli Ankou, Prince Emili, Mike Love, Kingsley Jonathan, Brandin Bryant, Daniel Joseph, C.J. The Punt God has a legitimate shot at being a day two selection. ), wins college football weekend, deserves the Heisman . He had a scholarship offer before he even put a helmet on. Every coach will want to do their due diligence as far as timing his touch to toe operation and seeing how he does with a real NFL Duke ball. Consistent directional punter that can kick it out to the sidelines or place it inside the 10-yard line. 5th Year Option Projections; Free Agency. All the more impressive, the 2021 season was Araiza's first taking on full-time punting duties for the Aztecs. The left-footer with the big leg has been widely projected by draft analysts as the top . He converted all but one of his 97 career extra-point attempts, too. Other Aztecs are also headed for the NFL Draft as well. Both batches of decision-makers agree on one overriding idea: Field position really, really matters. A two-star prospect, Araiza was the 20th-ranked kicker in the 2018 class. Used as a field-goal kicker for San Diego State and shows the ability to hit them from long distance. C.J. These traits make for an incredibly impressive athlete, but how would he test at the NFL Combine? The San Diego, California native has a. as the Aztecs kicker. While Araiza has been electrifying college football this season, Georgia punter Jake Camarda should earn himself the nickname Mr. 2023 NFL Combine Hand Size Results: Notable Quarterback Measurements and More, 2023 NFL Combine Risers: Christian Gonzalez, Deonte Banks, and Brian Branch Perform Well, Anthony Richardson Combine Results: Florida Star Makes Case for QB1, Jahmyr Gibbs Landing Spots: Eagles, Saints, and Cardinals Most Popular in Mock Drafts. Additionally, Ray Guy was a first-round pick in 1973, with the award for punting success named after him. An all-around special teams contributor, the 2021 unanimous All-American had kickoff duties for San Diego State. Matt Araiza came into the 2022 NFL Draft as a fan favorite. Possesses a monster leg, gets tremendous hang time on punts, and allows coverage teams to get downfield and make the play. Colorado States Ryan Stonehouse featured just behind Araiza this year, with an average of 50.9 yards per punt. A three-time CIF San Diego State section Kicker of the Year and a sophomore first-team All-American, Araizas athletic accolades werent restricted to the football field. Inconsistent accuracy on his field goals. With only two defenders shooting downfield, returning teams dont have to worry as much about initial pressure up the middle and have more of an opportunity to rush the punter. Araiza sits neatly at the intersection of crusty old Football Guys and the new wave of analytically . This versatility only adds to his value heading into the NFL Draft since he can be the kickoff specialist as well as fill in as an emergency kicker should the starter suffer an injury during a game. For context, two Pro Bowl punters are named each year, leaving about an 20% clip of the Pro Bowl punters in the last 15 seasons being players who were drafted. That hasn't happened for a punter since 2012, when Jacksonville selected Cal's . P Matt Araiza earned $216,148 in his NFL career. Using AV from Pro-Football-Reference, this somewhat normalizes the impact of a punter on his team. Chicago Bears 2023 Free Agency Roundtable: Signing we dont want to see. Bills rookie punter Matt Araiza, who has quickly risen to fame with a strong leg and a catchy nickname, faces a very serious off-field issue before his first NFL game.According to the Los Angeles . He was a sixth-round pick of the team at the 2022 NFL draft. However, even in recent history, multiple punters were selected in 2019 and 2020. Based on Over The Cap's projections, . Ethan Sears. Coach Marwan Maalouf, currently coaching special teams at the University of Miami and longtime NFL special teams coach, thinks highly of Araiza. While Ive just talked you through a brief history lesson of punting in the NFL Draft, the San Diego State product is coming off a historic season of college football punting. An all-around special teams contributor, the 2021 unanimous All-American had kickoff duties for San Diego State. He gets the ball off quickly and generates an insane amount of force from his left leg. The big-footed San Diego native is considered one of the best prospects in his position over the years and many are eager to see . All Combine and Draft-Related Analysis, News, Video, and Biographical Information for Matt Araiza He maintained composure in a penetrated backfield, and he was able to send the ball 65 yards through the air with ease. Of course, Ray Guys first-round selection in 1973 is an anomaly. There have been multiple third-round selections, while FSU punter John Stark was a second-round choice in 1982. Araiza, nicknamed the "Punt God," was a unanimous All-American and the winner of the Ray Guy Award in 2021. (Interestingly, I found out while researching this that Cleveland used second round picks in both 1977 and 1978 to draft a punter. According to Austin Gayle of Pro Football Focus, 63 percent of Araiza's punts were downed inside the 20; another 27 were downed inside the 10. If I can get my punter as an UDFA instead of using a draft selection on him, that would be preferable.. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device.
